The exchange of packetized information in wireless communication systems (or mobile communication networks) has already grown dramatically and probably will also grow in the future due to the rapid adoption of data services in mobile communication networks. Compared to voice services, data requires significantly more traffic and, hence, a much lower cost per bit is needed. A considerable effort has therefore been put in the development of standards for the LTE RAN (Long Term Evolution Radio Access Network) and EPC (Evolved Packet Core), which address these evolving needs. Lower cost per bit can be achieved by using IP protocols, as due to the success of the Internet, the cost of Ethernet packet-based transport networks have fallen.
The X2 communication interface is a type of communication interface between base station entities of a mobile communication network, especially a mobile communication network according to or using the Long Term Evolution (LTE) radio access technology. Typically, the X2 communication interface connects neighboring base station entities, typically enhanced NodeBs (or eNodeBs) in a peer to peer fashion to assist handover and provide for rapid co-ordination of radio resources. In detail, this X2 communication interface can be distinguished between a user and a control plane.
Within the context of Self Organizing Networks (SON), in order to setup and maintain the X2 communication interface, there exist a couple of procedures and functions at the X2 communication interface. These procedures and functions are described in group 3GPP TS 36.423 of the standardization documents.
Typically over their lifetime, network nodes and respective interfaces in mobile communication networks are likely to be reconfigured several times while in operation.
These reconfigurations are necessary, because
either network nodes themselves are physically reallocated,
or, most likely, an additional network node has been deployed or removed or switched on or off in the vicinity (of, e.g., a base transceiver station) and hence necessitates a reconfiguration of the network nodes concerned (i.e. also those in the vicinity of such modifications).
The trend towards comparably small radio cells (or even more important the trend to customer owned network equipment like home (e)NodeBs), necessitates an increased number of reconfigurations (or a higher frequency of such reconfigurations) of network nodes and respective communication interfaces, e.g. simply as such devices can be switched on or off by customers and without the possibility of mobile network operators to influence such events. In turn, such an increased number of reconfigurations of network nodes and, of course, also of the respective communication interfaces between them, results in an increased maintenance effort for such reconfigurations of network nodes.